It has been too long since my last tart post. I do not post that many because I use the same recipe for all my tarts. This one follows that pattern as well (but it was too gorgeous not to share with you), same shell and pastry cream. I did enhance the pastry cream with a slight lemon flavor by infusing it with the zest of one lemon, and a dash of the juice. As you can see from the picture below, I had a hard time deciding what fruit to use. It not only turned out beautiful, but delicious as well. The beauty about tarts is that you have the ability to personalize every single one. I tend to stick to apricot preserves as the glaze on top, I find it to be milder than orange. The glaze is not necessary, but adds the glistening sheen found in pastry shop windows. I have rewritten the recipe below for anyone that is new to tart making. Summer is the perfect time to give this a whirl.
Pastry Cream
5 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 C sugar
3 T cornstarch
1 1/2 C scalded milk
1/2 t pure vanilla extract
1 T unsalted butter
1 T heavy cream
Pate Brisee (recipe follows)
fruit for topping (any kind you like)
3 T apricot or orange marmalade (for glazing)
Bake Pate Brisee according to instructions, make sure edges become browned as you will not be baking this tart once it is filled. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch.
With the mixer still on low, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture.
Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, 5 to 7 minutes. Don't be alarmed when the custard comes to a boil and appears to curdle; switch to a whisk and beat vigorously. Cook, whisking constantly, for another 2 minutes; the custard will come together and become very thick, like pudding. Stir in the vanilla, butter, and heavy cream. Pour pastry cream into tart shell, or place plastic wrap directly on the custard and refrigerate until cool.
Fill pastry shell with custard. Arrange fruit on top. Heat marmalade over medium low heat until runny. Brush warm marmalade over fruit and edges of tart. Refrigerate before serving.
Pate Brisee
1 1/4 C flour
1 t salt
1 stick unsalted butter (cubed and cold)
1/8 C ice water (more if needed)
Place flour, salt, and butter in a food processor. Pulse until it looks like small crumbs. With the machine running, slowly add water until dough just starts to come together. Use the water sparingly, you do want the dough to become sticky.
Place dough into a 10" tart pan and press along bottom moving outward up the sides (you may roll dough before placing it in tart pan, I prefer to do this by hand). Do not force or stretch the dough because a thin spot may cause the filling to leak. The dough edges should be a little bit higher than the side of the tart pan to help prevent shrinkage. Prick the bottom of the shell with your fork. Press a piece of foil (12"x13") into the edges of the shell completely touching and covering the entire shell. Chill for at least a half an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Completely fill the foil covered shell with pie weights or dried beans. Put the shell into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove beans and foil. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes and bake until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack.
The shell is ready to fill!
Until tomorrow...Peace.
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